This course examines the changing religious landscape of the United States through a focus on the religious life of Asian Americans. Through interdisciplinary texts and ethnographic field assignments, students will consider how religion and race intersect to inform notions of cultural and political citizenship, community, and culture. Topics to be explored include the impact of 9/11, religious political activism, and the appropriation and commodification of “Asian” religious practices.

To appreciate the role of religion/faith/spirituality and race in contemporary society
To understand the concept of power and how it intersects with identity concepts (i.e. race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, etc.)
To develop, conduct, analyze, and assess ethnographic research
To improve research, writing, and presentation skills

Cross Cultural Analysis

How does the course examine the social values, institutions, and patterns of organization of a culture from within its own perspective?

How does the course consider the relationships AMONG the following aspects of the culture(s) in question: art, religion, literature, philosophy, social behavior and institutions, and responses to other cultures?

If the course focuses on a particular element in a culture, can you explain how it relates that element to other more general aspects?

How does the course teach students the methods required for sensitive and critical cultural analysis, such as the informed reading of texts, artifacts, and social institutions?

Cultural Diversity in the US

The course should examine one or more of the following forms of differentiation: race/ethnicity, immigrant status, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation. Which does it emphasize?

race/ethnicity & religious affiliation

The course may emphasize a comparative perspective within a particular classification scheme (for example, African Americans and Hispanics). If so, please describe:

Students will consider the difference between monoracial/ethnic congregations and multiracial congregations to examine how diversity impacts the formation of religious communities and what role religion plays in such communities.

The course may examine the intersection between two or more of these means of differentiation (for example, race and immigrant status, minority status and sexual orientation). If so, please describe:

This course examines the relationship between religion and race in the context of the United States through a focus on Asian American communities. Students explore the relationship between religion and minority status, how religion and race have been conflated for non-Christian religions, and the role of religion in immigration (i.e. religion and refugee resettlement).

The course should address issues of inequality, stratification, and power. Please explain how it does so.

Students will explore how religious affiliation exposes individuals and communities to inequality in the United States over time. Topics such as Islamophobia in our post 9/11 present allow students to consider how rights, privileges, and protections are stratified by religion and the power of Christianity as the defined norm in the United States.

What is the primary method of analysis for the course? (For example, analysis of social scientific data, critical reading of literature, and so forth.)

analysis of social scientific data

Quantitative Data Analysis

Prerequisites

Who is the course intended for?

Sample assignments or exam questions.

Do students actively analyze and interpret quantitative data? Explain.

Do students interpret quantitative data to evaluate hypotheses and/or to understand phenomena in the real world? Explain.

What types of quantitative analyses are included in the course? For example, do students learn concepts of random variability and elementary level of statistical analysis of data?

Formal Reasoning

Do students learn formal structures of thought and how to apply them to understand phenomena in the real world? Explain.

If the course also engages students in the statistical analysis of empirical data, is the preponderance of attention give to formal structures implicated in deductive reasoning rather than on inductive reasoning from data to empirical generalizations? Explain.

Types of Analysis: What types of formal analysis are included in the course? For example, do students learn concepts of mathematics, formal logic, formal linguistics, computation and algorithmic thinking, decision theory, or some combination of these?